12 Replies - 1206 Views - Last Post: 25 April 2013 - 09:57 PM

Binary and Programming

Posted 23 April 2013 - 07:41 PM

I sat down and started to study my Software Development course for a big exam and came across the topic of Binary and came to think to myself - "Would binary be necessarily needed in the future of programming?"

It seems everything is pretty much already in code syntax's, but does anyone actually use binary for certain things in programming?

Replies To: Binary and Programming

Re: Binary and Programming

Posted 23 April 2013 - 07:53 PM

Uh, yes. EVERYTHING is binary! It is the only thing the CPU knows, 1 or 0, on or off. If you don't understand binary, how would you twiddle bits? Files are stored as binary, math is binary, internet is binary, etc...; understanding binary will always be needed.

This really isn't a topic for the Lounge, I will move this on over to, let's say, Software Development...

Re: Binary and Programming

Posted 23 April 2013 - 08:16 PM

Ahmed92, on 23 April 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:

I want to create an application using binary.. any tutorials?

Probably the thing to do would be to get hold of an old Altair 8800 or an emulator. The most basic mode of programming for those involved entering machine instructions and data registers in binary via a set of switches on the front of them.

I know that there are emulators out there, and the operator's manual is available as a scan (In fact, I have a printout of it on a pile of papers by my desk - don't ask me why...)

As it turns out, the Altair is historically an interesting machine. It was one of the earliest home computers, and it was the machine that launched Microsoft, when Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter for it. Jobs and Wozniak also hacked on it, as part of the Homebrew Computer Club, if I remember right.

Re: Binary and Programming

Posted 23 April 2013 - 08:18 PM

jon.kiparsky, on 23 April 2013 - 09:16 PM, said:

Ahmed92, on 23 April 2013 - 10:10 PM, said:

I want to create an application using binary.. any tutorials?

Probably the thing to do would be to get hold of an old Altair 8800 or an emulator. The most basic mode of programming for those involved entering machine instructions and data registers in binary via a set of switches on the front of them.

I know that there are emulators out there, and the operator's manual is available as a scan (In fact, I have a printout of it on a pile of papers by my desk - don't ask me why...)

As it turns out, the Altair is historically an interesting machine. It was one of the earliest home computers, and it was the machine that launched Microsoft, when Bill Gates wrote a BASIC interpreter for it. Jobs and Wozniak also hacked on it, as part of the Homebrew Computer Club, if I remember right.